Stalled for nine years, a small housing project in a hardscrabble area of Easton's south side Wednesday night received preliminary planning commission approval.

Construction of five town houses at the corner of West Lincoln and Storm streets could start as soon as this spring, pending a series of approvals by city officials, engineer Neil Policelli said.

The lot, a fraction of an acre nestled between industrial buildings and chain link fences a few blocks west of Philadelphia Road, is home to scrub brush and weeds. New York developer JA & JM Associates proposed a townhouse project for the plot in 2006, but a dispute with city officials over how to manage storm water run off held up construction.

"Then the economy tanked," Policelli said. Since then, the lot has sat unused.

Policelli and fellow engineer Ryan Dentith added a retaining pond to the rear of the town houses in the design, which satisfied the planning commission.

The proposed homes are 45 feet by 28 feet with one-car garages.

Once sold, all the homeowners will form a homeowners' association, to take care of issues like repairs to fences in common areas. Before all the units are sold, JA & JM Associates would be liable for paying a percentage of any repairs.

"It is an area that could use a project like this," Board Chairman Charles Elliott said.